EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Bernstein, a director and exec producer of HBO’s The Outsider, is heading to 19th Century London after boarding the premium cable network’s drama The Nevers.
Bernstein has joined the show as an executive producer and director.
It comes after the finale of part one of the first season of the series, which has aired six episodes and will return for another six next year. The show is currently in pre-production and is set to return to filming the second half of the season this summer.
Philippa Goslett, the British filmmaker behind features Mary Magdalene and How To Talk To Girls At Parties, is showrunner of the period drama after Joss Whedon, a somewhat unusual combo of writer, director and showrunner, exited the series last November.
In addition to his work on Jason Bateman-fronted The Outsider, which was based on Stephen King’s novel, he also directed the upcoming fourth season premiere of Netflix’s Ozark as well as two additional episodes.
Prior to that, Bernstein (left) executive produced season two of Amazon’s hit series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, and directed multiple episodes. He also co-executive produced the majority of seasons two and three of AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, and directed season three’s two-part finale, among other episodes.
He has also worked on shows such as Umbrella Academy, The Right Stuff, Mad Men, and Foundation.
The drama, which follows a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies and a mission that might change the world, will air later this year. It was handed a straight-to-series order by the premium cable network in summer 2018.
Starring Laura Donnelly and Ann Skelly, The Nevers is set in August, 1896, the last years of Victoria’s reign, when London is ocked to its foundations by a supernatural event which gives certain people – mostly women – abnormal abilities, from the wondrous to the disturbing. But no matter their particular “turns,” all who belong to this new underclass are in grave danger. It falls to mysterious, quick-fisted widow Amalia True (Donnelly) and brilliant young inventor Penance Adair (Skelly) to protect and shelter these gifted “orphans.” To do so, they will have to face the brutal forces determined to annihilate their kind.
The show got off to a great start on HBO in April with its premiere drawing over 1.4 million viewers across linear telecasts and digital, including the best start at the time for a new HBO Original on HBO Max, according to the premium cabler. The debut episode surpassed viewership for premieres of recent HBO dramas including Lovecraft Country and The Undoing.
It is also exec produced by Goslett, Jane Espenson, Doug Petrie, Ilene S. Landress, Bernadette Caulfield. Whedon remains credited as creator and exec producer.
Bernstein is repped by CAA, Sara Bottfeld at Industry Entertainment, and Joel McKuin at McKuin Frankel Whitehead LLP.